Abbreviations
- Organizations
AFA - American Federation of Aviculture
APC - Association for Parrot Conservation
CITES - Convention on the International Trade in Endangered
Species
EIA - Environmental Investigation Agency (AR)
ESA or USESA - United States
Endangered Species Act
FWS - Fish and Wildlife (often a State agency)
HSUS - Humane Society of the United States (AW)
ICP - Interstate Commerce Permit (under the ESA)
MBA - U.S Migratory Bird Act
OMA - Office of Management Authority (under the USFWS)
OSA - Office of the Scientific Authority (under the USFWS)
USDA - U.S. Dept. of Agriculture
USFWS - United States Fish and Wildlife Service
WBCA - Wild Bird Conservation Act of 1992
Abbreviations
- Parrot Species
| B&G - Blue and Gold Macaw |
BC - Blue Crown Conure |
| BCMA - Blue Crown Mealy
Amazon |
|
| BE2 - Bare Eyed Cockatoo |
BFA - Blue Front Amazon |
| BP2 - Black Palm Cockatoo |
BP2 - Black Palm Cockatoo |
| BSL - Blue Streak Lorry |
C2 - Citron Cockatoo |
| BTC - Brown Throated
Conure |
BTM - Blue Throated Macaw |
| CAG - Congo African Grey |
CM - Catalina Macaw |
| DYH - Double Yellow Head Amazon |
E2 - Eleanora Cockatoo |
| EFP - Edward's Fig Parrot |
|
| G2 - Goffins Cockatoo |
GC - Green Cheeked Conure |
| GCC - Gold Capped Conure |
GCP - Grey Cheeked Parakeet |
| GE - Grand Eclectus |
GSC - Greater Sulphur Crested
Cockatoo |
| GSC2 - Greater Sulpher-Crested Too |
GW - Green Wing Macaw |
| HH - Hawkheaded Parrot |
HM - Hahns Macaw |
| HMC - Half Moon Conure |
HYM - Hyacinth Macaw |
| IM - Illiger Macaw |
Keet - Parakeet |
| LCA - Lilac Crowned Amazon |
LSC - Lessor Sulphur Crested Cockatoo |
| LSC2 - Lesser Sulpher-Crested Too |
|
| MA - Mealy Amazon |
M2 - Moluccan Cockatoo |
| MBC - Maroon Bellied Conure MGM |
MGM - Miligold Macaw |
| MM - Military Macaw |
MM2 - Major Mitchell (Leadbeater)
Cockatoo |
| MRHA - Mexican Red Head Amazon |
MSC - Medium Sulphur Crested Cockatoo |
| OWA - Orange Winged Amazon |
PC - Painted Conure |
| RB2 - Rose Breasted Cockatoo |
RLA - Red Lored Amazon |
| RM - Ruby Macaw |
RSE - Red Sided Eclectus |
| RV2 - Red Vented Cockatoo |
SBCC - Slender Billed
Corella Cockatoo |
| SC2 - Sulpher-Crested Too |
|
| SIE - Soloman Island Eclectus |
SM - Scarlet Macaw |
| T2 - Triton Cockatoo |
T2 - Triton Cockatoo |
| TAG - Timneh African Grey |
Tiel - Cockatiel |
| Too - Cockatoo |
U2 - Umbrella Cockatoo |
| VE - Vosmaeri's Eclectus |
WFA - White Fronted Amazon |
| WF - White Faced Cockatiel |
YCM - Yellow Collared Macaw |
|
YNA -
Yellow Naped Amazon
|
Introducing Your Parrot to
Aerobics
Written by Joanie Doss
This article first appeared in the November/December 1992 issue of
Parrot World,
the publication of the National Parrot Association.
Most birds are bundles of energy. They're a
delight to watch as they attack their toys with gusto and perform daring acrobatics.
Despite the fact that birds may appear to be expending a great deal of energy, they may
not be giving their hearts and lungs the workout they need. Activity shouldn't be confused
with beneficial exercise. As a concerned pet owner, have you ever considered providing
your "ball of high octane energy" with a regular exercise program to help insure
that your pet will achieve its optimum life span.
Birds in the wild fly many miles every day. They
usually fly from their roosts to forage for food and return again in the evening to roost.
They do a lot of climbing in their daily quest for food. While unclipped birds in a large
aviary come closer to the natural movements of a wild bird, a clipped, caged bird does
not. Birds used for breeding lead a somewhat more "aerobic" life unless they're
kept in small cages. Breeders should be housed in cages that are roomy enough so that they
can easily flap their wings comfortably. They may flap with such vigor and force that they
produce noticeable noise with their wings. This is a territorial behavior called
"drumming" and provides the heart and lungs with a good workout.
As a pet bird becomes older, it tends to put on weight. It acquires the savvy
to get people to give it treats and tidbits of food in return for endearing bits of
behavior. A cycle begins. The parrot starts to get heavier 90 it feels less like
exercising, and because it becomes less active, it becomes heavier. Does this sound like
someone we know?
It's hard not to give in to a pet bird's pleas for a treat. When any visitor
walks into my bird room/workroom, my birds all have their own ways of getting people to
give them something to eat. Pepper, my older Blue-fronted Amazon uses the direct approach
as he demands, "Polly wants a cracker." Kodiak, my two year old Blue-front,
prefers a more subtle appeal. He stands in the front corner of his cage in spread-eagle
fashion, cocks his head, and convincingly as possible says, "I'm a good boy."
Should anyone be a bit slow in responding with a treat, he impatiently adds, ''Come on,
come on." If he is still ignored, he'll put his foot through the bars of his cage and
grab you if he can. He's a young bird, so weight isn't a problem yet, but it soon might
be. I finally decided to train them to stay in place and flap their wings on command. To
do this, I place a bird on a dowel stick, give the command to fly, and then move the dowel
from my right to my left. I return it again and repeat the whole procedure several times.
The bird gets to flap his wings at least five times for each pass I make. I do this thirty
times for each of the birds. I do ten passes, let the bird rest, do ten again and let the
bird rest, then do a final ten passes.
Because I had older, fat birds, I was careful to start slowly with their
exercise. At first, they only did five passes. Both Pepper and T.J. would breathe very
heavily when they first began. Pepper loved doing this right from the start. He could
hardly wait each morning for me to take him out for his flying exercise. T.J. disliked the
exercise at first. When I would take him out of his cage, he would cock his head and try
to get me to scratch under his chin an attempt to delay the start of his exercise period.
At first, he barely flapped his wings. But after a month, he began to show an improvement
in strength and stamina, and now he's really eager for his exercise. His wing movements
are deep and full, and he becomes very excited when it's time to exercise. All of the
birds have now become almost as eager to do their flying exercise as they are to eat.
Exercise has as many benefits for birds as it does for humans. Kodiak, who is a
phobic bird, becomes easier to handle, and is better able to keep his fears under control
after his morning exercise. He looks forward to his flying time and jiggles the latch of
the door to his cage if he thinks I'm taking too long to get to him.
Pepper's wind has improved. I can hear his increased heart rate after ten
passes. But it quickly returns to normal again just like the heart rate of a well
conditioned human. I was surprised to find that he enjoyed this 90 much because he's a fat
bird and is generally inactive in his cage or on his playpen. In the evenings, he prefers
to sit with me rather than play with his toys on the play gym or T-stand.
Sidney, my three year old Nape, was a highly excitable biter. He was sold to me
as a two year old because he was starting to become unmanageable. Sidney doesn't have a
mean bone in his body, but he is a high strung, high energy guy. The flying exercise helps
to keep a lid on his emotions and gives him an outlet for all that energy.
As stated before, T.J. didn't like this exercise at first. I progressed very
slowly with him because he has an internal growth between his heart and lung, and I didn't
want him to have any problems. In fact, I started him with only three passes and he
probably flapped his wings about twice on each of them. Now he flaps his wings about five
times on each of thirty passes. He's getting a glow to his feathers and he's starting to
talk more again.
Maggie, my four year old Nape, was always in good shape. He adds his own
specialty to this exercise. Some mornings when he feels extra good, he swings around the
dowel so that he hangs upside down and flies that way for several passes. He had been
getting lazy about his talking, but now I give him his exercise, then work on his speech
while he's still excited from his activity. He's beginning to improve at speaking on
command again.
I believe that this simple exercise has done a lot to improve the life of my
birds. Not only does it seem to be having both physical and emotional benefits for them,
but they enjoy it as well. Whoever said, "No pain, no gain!"
Training Your bird to Fly in Place There are two things your bird must learn
how to do before you can have him fly in place on a dowel. He must be (1) stick trained,
and (2) he must be able to flap his wings on command.
Stick Training
You must begin with a dowel or stick that's a little smaller than your bird's
perch. He needs to be able to grasp the dowel firmly and feel secure while flapping his
wings. For directions on the actual process of stick training please see Parrot World,
May/June '92. Flapping Wings on Command
Place your bird on your arm or on a dowel. When it is secure, bring your arm or
dowel down quickly. Your bird will raise its wings to keep its balance. When it does this,
give it your command word and praise it even if it only raises its wings slightly. You may
also want to reward your bird with a bite of its favorite food, or a scratch on the head
if it enjoys that. Each time you lower your arm or dowel, say "Fly" or whatever
will be your own command word. Remember to praise and reward your parrot each time it
responds to your command. Once your bird has gotten the idea that he is to flap his wings
when you command, it's time to start him on his exercise.
With your bird held almost shoulder high on the dowel, quickly move it in front
of you from your right side to your left. If your bird appears frightened by this, move
him slowly until he realizes he's not going to get hurt. If he shows no fear, but refuses
to flap his wings, bring the stick down quickly and to your left simultaneously. If your
bird still refuses to flap its wings, revert to using the downward movement only and
praise him for every attempt he makes to lift his wings. This means he still hasn't
learned what you mean when you say, "Fly." All birds learn at different rates,
so don't rush him. This is not a race to see how fast you can get your bird to do
something. Some birds will fly in place immediately when you just move the stick from your
right to your left; others will always need to be brought down and to your left as
explained above.
After you've moved him from your right to your left, return him slowly,
bringing him back to the right. He will be backwards as you move, so don't go too quickly
or you might scare him. After a while, some birds actually seem to really enjoy being
returned quickly. But not all birds appreciate this, so gradually increase the speed of
this motion while observing your bird's reaction carefully.
Not all birds will take to this exercise with enthusiasm. Some birds will nip
more often as their exercise makes them more excited. Others will find it a good outlet
for their excess energy and will nip less. What works for some birds may not for others.
Even if I could physically show you how I do this, your timing might be off a few seconds
from mine and your results could be different. Your relationship with your own bird would
obviously be different than mine, so again we could have two different responses.
For the exercise to be of physical benefit to your bird, it should flap its
wings at least five times every time you bring the dowel from your right to your left (one
pass). He should be able to do about twenty to thirty of these passes a day when he's in
good condition.
For the sake of your bird's health, you must remember to start slowly. No more
than five passes a day, even if he's only flapping his wings two or three times on each
pass. Gradually work up to more flaps and passes. I check my birds' breathing and heart
rate after ten passes and wait for a return to normal before progressing further. If your
bird is a non-biter, you can put your ear near his chest or even at his back and you'll
hear his heartbeat after several passes. Please remember never to force your bird to
exercise while it's ill or recovering from an illness.
Since this exercise will strengthen your bird's wings, you'll have to keep a
close eye on its flight feathers as they grow because this could help him become a
stronger flyer. It will also make his heart and lungs stronger. I feel satisfied that this
exercise has improved the health of my birds. Try it for yourself and see what you find.
Alternatives for Older Birds or Birds with Bad Feet If the bird has sores on
the bottom of its feet, or its pads are worn from old age, you may want to substitute your
hand or a padded stick for the regular dowel. If the bird does not grasp the dowel firmly,
he can cause excessive wear to the bottom of his feet.
Band Method
If the bird is gentle, have him step onto your index (pointer) finger and the
area between your finger and thumb. Clamp your thumb over his front toes. This will keep
him on your hand and give him a feeling of security that he won't fall when he is flapping
his wings.
Padded Dowel
If your bird is not gentle or tame enough for holding him on your hand, glue
some acrylic pile fabric to a dowel to form a cushion for his feet. He will probably have
to be introduced to the fabric dowel gradually because he will be hesitant to step onto an
unfamiliar object.
NPA member, Joanie Doss, lives in Anchorage, Alaska, where she cares for seven
Amazons, and watches for bears that stroll the streets and wandering moose who enjoy
eating hanging baskets of fuschia on her front porch during the summer. She's a regular
contributor to her local club's newsletter, and her articles have appeared often in major
avicultural publications.
TALKING
Introduction
After reading so many request for information regarding talking, on the various mail
lists I decided to write my own article on the subject. My experience deals with the two
Congo African Greys in our flock and what I have learned and read on the different mail
lists in the last 3 years. Both our Grey are prolific talkers and we lost count of how
many words, phrases and sounds that they know a long time ago. Most of the questions
related to talking are asked by the new parrot owner so this article is mainly directed
towards them.
We all love parrots for many reasons but the ability to produce human speech and to
mimic a variety of sounds is a big reason why parrots have fascinated mankind for so long.
Amongst the many reasons for choosing a particular species of parrot as a companion,
intelligence and talking ability are often placed very high on the priority list. Every
parrot owner I have ever met is thrilled when the first word is spoken.
Training
New parrot owners often ask, "What methods should I use to teach my parrot how to
talk?"
Interaction is the key! Parrots are flock orientated and learn to interact with other
members of the flock by making the same sounds and gestures as the other flock members.
Use the same methods you would with a small child. When you walk into the room say
"Hello Bird", when feeding "Do you want some birdie dinner?" when
covering the cage at night "Night Night Bird". Huey, our 3 year old CAG said his
first word "Tickle Tickle" at 14 months old. "Tickle", is a game we
played when he was in his cage and I would tickle his feet or tummy through the bars
(interaction). Even your gestures will be imitated in time. When our CAGS sing they often
bounce up and down imitating the movement made when singing or dancing. Huey will say
"Up down, left right, one two" from watching us exercising. He stands tall when
saying "up", crouches for "down" and moves his head side to side for
"left right".
In my opinion, tapes or recordings commonly advertised as methods to teach parrots to
talk are of little or no value. Parrots learn through interaction and a desire to
participate like other flock members. Voice tapes do not offer the stimulation needed.
Music is a different story and by its very nature can be stimulating. Both or CAGs like to
sing and dance to music, "Pop Goes The Weasel" is the present favorite.
When will my parrot start talking? He is 10 months old and does not talk yet, what
should I do?
There is no set rule to determine when your parrot will say his first words and it
varies a great deal. In general, African Greys often begin to talk some time after 12
months of age. As I mentioned earlier, Huey did not start until 14 months old, he has not
sopped since.
In summation, teach your parrot like a young child, repeating words slowly and
enunciating clearly and above all interact.
Roy Berger
To review a book titled
"Teaching Your Parrot to Talk" click
here
Shoulder Sitting
I think shoulder sitting is wonderful for both bird and owner "after"
they have become well aquatinted with each other and their surroundings. I do not
encourage a first time "bird owner" to shoulder any parrot. I discourage first
time CAG/TAG owners because young CAG/TAG's can be awkward, nippy, unsure, spooked easily
etc. This is not only for the new owner but for the safety of the young inexperienced baby
bird. Someone that has no experience with birds might react if bitten by swiping the bird
off their shoulder and not only could the bird be injured physically but CAG/TAG's
remember unpleasant episodes forever! I know even if I discourage them from making a
shoulder bird that once they really get to know their bird and feel really comfortable
with their bird it will eventually become a shoulder bird. But by then the new owner is
hopefully aware of their bird's moods and abilities. And by then the CAG/TAG is more
coordinated and comfortable in his/her new surroundings. And of course the new owner
announces that their baby is now a shoulder bird and it makes me happy. In fact, my
TAG's prefer heads rather than shoulders.
IMHO
Shirley and the Greys, Texas
www.bignest.com
Buying
& Selling Un-weaned Birds
This is another hotly-debated topic. An un-weaned bird has physical and
emotional needs that are best met by an experienced bird breeder. Although intuition and
sheer luck have helped some inexperienced new owners wean and rear a well-adjusted baby
bird, others have not been so lucky. Hand feeding has certain risks attached.
Inexperienced owners should not go at it alone. Conscientious breeders (the ones that care
about the bird's future health and the customer's long-term satisfaction) do not sell
un-weaned birds to inexperienced customers without also = offering extensive
training/support. Although it is tempting to buy an un-weaned bird, in particular to get it
away from a less-than-trustworthy vendor, one should remember that doing so is a vote of
confidence for that seller's practices.
Here is more that she has to say on the subject:
DO NOT BUY an un-weaned bird unless you have adequate background on its care
Please read the information that follows and then make up your mind on the
subject. When I first became aware that un-weaned birds could be purchased I thought
hand-feeding one's own bird was a neat idea. As I researched the topic I came to realize
the process is fraught with accidents waiting to happen. = Like the Romans said,
"Caveat Emptor", buyer beware. Make your decisions based on facts, not on myths
and marketing ploys.
Background information on hand-feeding
Parrots are hand-fed by humans (as opposed to being raised by the parents)
because sometimes the parents reject the babies. In the pet trade, however, hand-feeding
is done in order to make the baby bird become used to being handled by humans. Some
parent-raised birds eventually become tame, but they often are skittish and less trusting
than well-socialized, hand-fed babies. Often, breeders allow the parents to incubate the
eggs and to feed the chicks for a few weeks, then the babies are removed from the nest and
the breeder takes over all feeding and socialization. Some breeders artificially incubate
all eggs produced by their breeding pairs. At least in some cases, this is done to
maximize clutch size (as artificial incubation rules out accidental breakage of eggs by
parents, for example). Apparently, hand-fed birds are less successful at breeding than are
hand-raised birds, so take this into consideration if you are thinking of buying birds for
breeding purposes.
First of all, let me give you a quick description of the early life of = a baby
parrot. Eggs may be incubated by the parents, by surrogate parents (other species of
parrot) or they may be artificially incubated. When the chick hatches, it is absolutely
dependent on its parents (or human surrogate). The baby bird is not covered in feathers,
nor is it capable of doing much (unlike the precocial chicks of ducks and chickens with
which most people are familiar). The baby's eyes and sometimes ears may not be open (I
mean, they literally will be sealed). The chick won't even = be capable of regulating its
own body temperature. The baby is capable of requesting feedings, though, and the parents
comply by regurgitating food into the chick's mouth. The breeder feeds the chick by using
a manufactured (or home-made) formula, which is delivered to the chick in two general
ways:
- by dribbling the food into the chick's mouth (using a spoon, cup or syringe).
This process is time-consuming, but somewhat similar to what the parent birds would do
during the natural feeding sequence.
- by pumping the food into the chick's crop (tummy) by using a syringe to which
a tube is attached (tube goes down the chick's throat, food is delivered directly to the
crop) . This process allows the feeding to proceed at a VERY fast rate; unless the breeder
takes pains to compensate, the chicks will miss out on valuable interaction time with the
feeder (some people go as far to propose that this de-personalized process is RESPONSIBLE
for a lot = of behavioral problems later in life). Such lack of interaction could negate
the main purpose of the hand-feeding process, which should aim at creating
people-friendly, well-adjusted pets.
In the early stages, feedings may be necessary as often as every couple hours,
around the clock. Throughout the hand-feeding stage, chicks need to be kept clean (they
can get quite messy while feeding), and must be monitored regularly to verify they are
comfortable and doing well. The brooders and equipment used in hand-feeding need to be
sterilized. These are just a few of the reasons that explain why hand-fed birds are more
expensive than parent-fed birds.
Regardless of the food-delivery method, the hand-feeding process is not simple:
the formula must be prepared fresh before each feeding, and it must be heated up to a
certain temperature, or the chick's willingness to eat it AND its ability to digest the
food may be compromised. Extremely hygienic conditions should be kept = so as to avoid
passing diseases to the chicks, or from one chick to the next. If the hand-feeder is not
really adept, the food may go into the chick's lungs instead of into its digestive tract,
and the chick may die by choking or from infections that arise from the improper delivery
of food (called aspiration). If the hand-feeder doesn't know what behaviors are normal for
chicks of a given age and species, he/she may fail to realize the chicks are not
responding (meaning that the hand-feeder may not realize the chick is dehydrated, sick,
too hot or too cold, losing weight or simply failing to thrive). If the food is too hot,
the chick's crop may literally be seared, which can obviously cause lots of damage or
death due to the trauma itself or to secondary infections. Basically, there ARE a lot of
physical dangers to the chick when it is hand-fed by humans, and those dangers are
maximized when the hand-feeder is inexperienced.
There are also psychological aspects to the hand-feeding process. The human
must provide the chick with social interaction (such as would be provided by the parents
and siblings) in order to = have the chick's emotional development progress normally. I am
not aware of any research specifically describing the early emotional development in
parrots. However, considering that they are highly intelligent, social animals, and that
other such = species (e.g., dogs) do have critical periods in their early development upon
which normal adult behaviors hinge, it is not far-fetched to suggest that parrots may be
similar in this respect.
As time goes by, the chick becomes fully covered in feathers, its eyes and ears
open up, and it begins to explore its surroundings. Eventually, its development progresses
to the point when parents would be encouraging the chick to eat on its own. This is a
transition period that can be difficult for the chick, and the process through which the
chick becomes progressively more independent from its parents for sustenance is = called
"weaning." A chick is considered to be weaned when it is capable of eating
enough food on its own for at least 3 days in a row. The exact timing of this process
varies with each individual, but is relatively constant within species. If the chick is
not emotionally secure, it may revert to less mature behaviors and it may need
supplemental feedings in order to maintain its weight (and the weaning process will have
to be completed once again). This point of "nutritional independence" is not
simply a physical marker, it's also a major psychological step in the bird's emotional
development. While some birds seem to breeze right through = the weaning stage, others
fight it and WHINE a lot, which can be a real trial for the hand-feeder.
Why buying unweaned chicks is a very bad idea in most cases
As you can see, the hand-feeding process is NOT simple and clear-cut, = it has
physiological and psychological aspects that are often entwined. Many bird breeders and
parrot behavior consultants feel that hand-feeding and the weaning process, as well as the
socialization that takes place along with them, ARE CRITICAL IN PRODUCING A HEALTHY,
EMOTIONALLY SECURE, WELL-SOCIALIZED bird. In so many words, they feel that a lot of
behavioral problems seen in adult birds can be traced to screwed-up
"chickhoods". In my opinion, only experienced individuals should take it upon
themselves to hand-feed their pet bird, because the risks exist, and I believe becoming a
new parrot owner is complicated enough without throwing in the responsibility of properly
socializing and nurturing a baby bird. The new owner will have plenty of opportunity to
interact and "bond" with the bird later on... it is during that time that the
owner will train the bird to behave within reasonable limits.
While many people without previous experience have successfully completed the
hand-feeding process, others have gone through very traumatic experiences that have
resulted in emergency veterinary care for the chick, and some have lost their baby birds
(and their monetary investment). The actions of vendors who sell unweaned chicks to
inexperienced hand-feeders and then fail to monitor the chick's progress suggest they
place more emphasis on profit than on the welfare of the bird. It likewise can be argued
that customers who buy unweaned chicks are also financially minded and that they are
accepting the risks along with the savings. The problem is that in far too many cases,
vendors fail to educate the buyers on the risks of taking home an unweaned chick, which
may leave us discussing the ethics (and = legality?) of false advertisement Some such
vendors actively lie and say the chick is weaned when it isn't; others simply lie by =
omission and don't accurately describe proper hand-feeding and weaning techniques. When I
wrote the Bird Health FAQ and had it = reviewed by one of our bird vets, he commented that
what he'd like to see was a FAQ on hand-feeding: obviously his practice treats a lot of
unweaned chicks that are suffering at the hands of inexperienced owners. I have written
this section to educate the buying public about these issues, so that they can make
informed choices when choosing from whom to purchase a pet bird. = In particular, I want
to address certain myths that unscrupulous breeders use to manipulate customers into
purchasing unweaned birds.
Myths about hand-feeding abound. The most common one is that the new owner must
hand-feed the bird or otherwise the bird won't adequately "bond" to the new
owner. This is an utter lie, as has been proven again and again. Whatever bonds the chick
forges with the parents (or hand-feeders) will CHANGE when the chick reaches independence.
At that point, the young parrot will also make new alliances among flock members and
eventually perhaps with a mate. Therefore, the bird literally has built-in instructions to
make new relationships through its lifetime. It's up to the owner to help develop that
relationship, it doesn't magically appear by virtue of hand-feeding the bird. Besides,
this "unique bonding through hand-feeding" mumbo-jumbo doesn't prepare the new
owner for the period that = inevitably follows weaning, when the chick starts being
"testy" as it develops its own ideas of who should rule the roost!
The second reason many new owners opt to buy an un-weaned bird is that such
birds often sell for less than their fully-weaned counterparts. The difference is usually
a few hundred dollars, and the closer to weaning the bird is, the higher the price will
be. However, buying an un-weaned bird isn't always a bargain because if the owner
accidentally hurts the bird during the feeding process, the breeder will not assume
responsibility for that accident = if the sale had been finalized (which happens when the
new owner takes the bird home). In contrast, if the person had a deposit or had paid for a
chick that died or got ill while being hand-fed by the breeder, the breeder would be
obligated to replace the bird or reimburse the customer. Furthermore, if one compares the
price of an un-weaned chick sold at a pet store vs. the price of a fully weaned chick of
the same species as sold by a breeder, one often discovers the breeder's price is as good
if not better than the pet store price! This is because many pet stores buy
un-weaned
chicks and re-sell them, with the profits going to them and the price hike (and sometimes
the responsibility for hand-feeding) being passed on to the customer.
I am very opposed to people with no experience hand-feeding chicks just because
it "sounds like fun." I believe anyone who is interested in hand-feeding should
apprentice with an experienced breeder, who has years of experience and yes, mistakes,
upon which to draw. Anyone who wants to buy an un-weaned chick should educate him/herself
on the process by reading about it AND by practicing under supervision. Once they start
feeding their own chick on their own, they need to follow the same procedures that a
quality breeder would have followed (weigh the bird daily, sterilize utensils, prepare
fresh food for each feeding) and should remain in close communication with the breeder
and/or a qualified veterinarian, who are best equipped to evaluate the chick's progress.
Hand-feeding is a complex process, it is worth doing well. Anyone who wants to end up with
a healthy, happy bird (as opposed to hiking the risk of a traumatized bird and/or a sick
bird and/or a huge vet bill to correct hand-feeding mistakes) is best advised to get as
much support as possible. If, after reading all of this, you still feel like buying an
un-weaned chick, PLEASE make sure you are dealing with a decent, bird-loving breeder that
will continue to supervise the chick's progress, and also have the chick's progress
monitored by an avian veterinarian. Anything else is plain uncivilized!
Catherine Quinones
Ghana, Togo, Camaroon, Congo, and Angola Greys
When people are referring to Ghana, Togo, Camaroon, Congo, and Angola Greys,
they are referring to the region in which the birds originally came. These are our street
names and refer to *variations* not subspecies. There is the BIG difference. So I am sure
the Atlas of Parrots, and I know, many other books refer to these birds, and mentions them
by their "street" names. You know (I have been told by taxonomists) bird people
are the only group that does this? All others go by scientific names.
Anyway, Ghana Greys come from the country of Ghana. Now here is the hard part.
The Camaroon Greys people refer to here in the U.S. are large silver Greys. These Greys
actually come from the old Congo, turned Zaire, and now the Congo again. Originally the
Congo exported their birds, and they were the largest and lightest in color, the Congo
grey. The Congo ceased exporting their birds. Of course by this time the term Congo grey
was a permanent label for any red tail. During this time Africa was exporting birds out of
Ghana, Togo, Camaroon and other countries. Trappers in Africa were trapping birds in Zaire
(the old Congo) and smuggling them to Camaroon. Camaroon would then legally export them
out of Africa. (legal but, not legal) So we would receive birds from Zaire (475-600+
grams) with papers saying the birds originated in Camaroon, of course we also would
receive birds that actually did originate in Camaroon (425-500grams).
Only in America...........brokers decided to get more money for the larger
birds and sold them as Camaroon Greys (would have to since illegal to have Zaire birds)
and they sold the smaller darker birds as the common named Congo Greys (any red tail
grey). It does get confusing, because we have Camaroon Greys that are really Congo in
origin, and we have Congos that are really Camaroon in origin. (We even have Zaire Greys
that were imported out of Togo) So much for the street names but after all is said and
done, they are all one, and the same subspecies, the nominate Psittacus erithacus
erithacus.
Contributed by Jean Patterson
Temperament,
Behavior & Attitude of African Grey Parrots
The temperament, behavior and attitude of a Grey are, to a large part,
determined by the hand-feeder/caregiver. Not that there aren't birds who don't fit the
"norm". By and large, except perhaps for their intelligence and sensitivity,
they are like other birds. This is not to say there isn't a wide range of personalities -
just like with other wild animals - and humans, for that matter.
What I see in my babies are out-going assertive birds, interested in exploring,
curious, attracted to the new food in the dish or the new toy.
It is true, Greys are one of the quietest birds - unless they are killing a
toy. <g> Some do learn obnoxious sounds. Microwave beeps, run-down smoke alarm
battery beeps, truck backup beeps, telephone rings, answering machine beeps, pager beeps,
piercing wolf whistles, vocalizations from other birds, etc. The key is to avoid exposing
them to these undesirable sounds. Not always easy. <g>
When baby birds are exposed to change, variety, color, movement and toys from
the early weeks of life, they come to view these things as normal and nothing to be afraid
of or concerned about. The de-sensitization of Grey babies - just like for the babies of
other species - begins at the beginning.
The other very important element is confidence and trust in the
hand-feeder/caregiver. They must never be exposed to aggression or anger or impatience nor
should any game or interaction have an element of teasing. They learn to trust humans from
the earliest weeks of life if they are consistently treated with love, respect, gentleness
and compassion.
Dominating or attempting to dominate a Grey is a losing proposition - for the
bird and for the owner. Unwanted behavior is best handled by avoidance. For example, if a
baby digs, then act before he begins. Before initiating play or petting, inquire to see if
he wants interaction. He should have the right to say "no" or decline. Greys
need empowerment more than the other species I'm familiar with. I assume their
intelligence tells them that autonomy means they are respected. It is much easier for a
Grey (IMO) to love and trust a human who shows respect for a Grey's dignity and person,
allows him to be a bird and encourages him to develop a sense of self.
Most of what you read is out-dated information. It is repeated and repeated by
author after author until it seems to be fact by virtue of the repetition. Greys are no
more shy that other birds. Greys are no more disturbed by change than other birds. Much
depends on early socialization (the same as with other species) and the way that a Grey is
taught - by example or by design - to live with humans. The new owner, of course, must
continue the deliberate plan of continuing to expose the Grey to change and variety.
Bobbi Brinker
Do
Birds See Colour ?
They have more cones (wavelength- i.e. color-sensitive receptors)
in their retinas than rods. In fact, whereas we have 3 different cone types that make us
sensitive to the spectrum of colors we see, there is evidence that at least some species
of birds have a fourth cone type that appears responsive to wavelengths out around
ultraviolet. We don't have that, so we don't see ultraviolet light. Some people think that
feathers reflect ultraviolet light in such a way that parrots can tell, for example, males
from females where we cannot. It could be that females' feathers have a whole different
ultraviolet reflectance than males' feathers (within a given species) so the birds have no
trouble telling boy from girl in species where we can't see a clear difference.
Meg Waraczynski
Last updated 08 March 2006
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